Comedian to bring 'recovery humor' to Coleman fundraiser

ROGER BRYANTfor the Daily News

Updated
12:43 pm EDT, Thursday, August 24, 2017

Mark Lundholm promises to address 'dicey topics and scary consequences' related to addiction - but with humor - when he appears next month at a benefit presented by the Coleman VFW. (Photo, cover photo by Dan Dion) less

Mark Lundholm promises to address 'dicey topics and scary consequences' related to addiction - but with humor - when he appears next month at a benefit presented by the Coleman VFW. (Photo, cover photo by Dan ... more

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Mark Lundholm promises to address 'dicey topics and scary consequences' related to addiction - but with humor - when he appears next month at a benefit presented by the Coleman VFW. (Photo, cover photo by Dan Dion) less

Mark Lundholm promises to address 'dicey topics and scary consequences' related to addiction - but with humor - when he appears next month at a benefit presented by the Coleman VFW. (Photo, cover photo by Dan ... more

Comedian to bring 'recovery humor' to Coleman fundraiser

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Mark Lundholm promises to address "dicey topics and scary consequences" related to addiction - but with humor - when he appears next month at a benefit presented by the Coleman VFW.

"We're making fun of that without getting caught up in it," he said in a recent phone interview from California.

Proceeds from the show, which is at 7 p.m. Sept. 9 at Coleman High School, will be donated to area food banks to help those recovering from this summer's devastating flooding, said Pat Murray of VFW Post 1071. Tickets are $20.

Lundholm, sober for nearly 30 years, has appeared in all 50 states and at least 10 foreign countries sharing his story with humor and covering topics others often avoid.

"The topics and the menu for that night will include dysfunction, trauma, incarceration, overdose, addiction, consequences … And on the other side of those: hope, being part of a community fabric, maturing toward some kind of spiritual quotient, how to stay out of jail, how to pay forward to your kids what wasn't given to you by your parents …" he said.

He said the show will be "PG plus" and "is a good event for anyone to come to … It's very, very wide in its scope of topics."

Lundholm, who has written and performed in his own one-man, off-Broadway show, made many TV appearances, written books and been in several DVD series, said his approach is to be honest about the consequences of addiction.

"I have been addressing the subject of addiction, mental health/dysfunction, family trauma - that big bad bouillabaisse of growing up and not growing up - all that confusion that is addiction - I've been addressing it in a funny way since I was a kid."

He said the "scared straight" and "just say no" approaches of past decades "never worked."

"I've worked with adolescents and younger for over 25 years now," Lundholm said. "Telling them that drugs are bad or booze is wrong … doesn't work" because first-time users often don't experience the dire consequences portrayed in scare campaigns.

"They do it and say, 'This feels pretty good. What else are they lying about?'"

"I'm not a big preacher. I'm not going to tell people what to do," he said. "I'm going to tell you what happens if you get caught … if you get hooked … I'm going to tell you what you're going to do next."

With more than 20,000 shows under his belt, Lundholm said he has built up a network of resources that can provide help to those looking for answers.

"I have resources all over the country," he said. "It's not because I'm smart or because I'm some sort of tough guy or prophet or healer … I've learned to ask the right people the right questions so other people get the right help."

Lundholm has appeared several times at events in Midland on behalf of 1016 Recovery Network.

"I like Midland. I've been going there a long time," Lundholm said, adding that he already has gotten emails from Midland acquaintances excited about his show.

"You have a phenomenal recovery community in Midland," he added.

Lundholm says he offers a message of hope.

"You can change your thinking, and you can change the way you live."

Opening the show will be Bay City magician Cameron Zvara.

Tickets can be obtained at the Coleman VFW Post 1071, at Affordable Advertising, 223 E. Railway St. in Coleman, or by calling Pat Murray at 231-642-1303.